HEAVY WITHIN

Friday, February 24, 2006

BOILING POINT

The day started as any normal day as it would for me. Getting up early and preparing myself to go through my usual coverage rounds for the day.

But when I opened the TV for my daily dose of the morning news, viola! Manila was in a hoopla! Rally time at the EDSA Shrine!

Today is supposed to be the commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the EDSA I revolution. A peaceful commemoration. The Arroyo Administration, fueled by the arrest of some Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Field Commanders who were allegedly plotting a coup d' etat, declared around noontime a STATE OF EMERGENCY all over the country.

Minutes after the pronouncement by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, water cannons and swinging truncheons were the order of the day for the crowd gathering at the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City.

Only the timely intervention of ex-Vice President Teofisto Guingona saved the day and resulted in a peaceful dispersal of the rallyists and their subsequent regrouping at the Ortigas-Santolan area.

As of this writing, the group is reportedly to be marching its way to Makati City, skirting the sidestreets of Mandaluyong and Makati. The group is targeting the intersection of Ayala & Makati Avenue where a bigger, star-studded (ex-President Cory Aquino & Archbishop Bacani included in the billing) rally is in the making.

The Philippine Peso slid down from 51.66 to 52.20 to a US Dollar.... The effect of the declaration of a State of Emergency....

An irony to celebrate the anniversary of the very event that unshackled this country from the clutches of the Marcos Regime 20 years ago.

Sunday, February 05, 2006

SIGN OF THE TIMES

The Feb 04 2006 stampede at the Philippine Sports Arena (formerly known as ULTRA) which killed 74 and injured more than 550 would-be spectators is indeed a sign of things awaiting the Filipino people.

As of this writing, the Philippine Government is still deep in to the inquiry ordered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The President herself ordered that the investigation must be completed within 72 hours. The management of ABS-CBN, the network which owns the noon-time TV show WOWOWEE is in deep shit up to its neck trying to help the families of the victims and the scores of the injured confined in the different Metro Manila hospitals.

The stampede was brought about by the opening of the stadium's gates at around 6:00am February 04 (GMT +800), to the almost 25,000 people who were camped outside ULTRA for the past 4 days. These people were there to try their luck at the abundance of prizes slated to be given away during the day on the occassion of the show's 1st year anniversary. The show is well-known for the generous prizes given away by the host, Willie Revillame. Just being called up to the stage entitles you to an instant prize of $70. In a country where the daily average income is less than $5, this means a lot.

POVERTY is the culprit. The rising costs of the basic commodities and the implementation of the R-VAT does not help one bit the plight of the Filipino people.

The ULTRA tragedy can be likened to the the safety valve of a defective pressure cooker venting off. As time goes on, the safety valve becomes clogged and intense pressure builds up dangerously inside. Eventually, the pressure will have nowhere to go and the inevitable will happen. This is the scenario that will most likely come about should the Arroyo Administration remain indifferent and apathetic to the anguish of the Filipinos.